2008 Woodie Awards
Flightline adds items to required equiptment list
Michael Hamann
Issue date: 4/21/06 Section: False Horizons
- Page 1 of 1
Officials announced Thursday a small list of items that will be required on every flight starting Apr. 24, 2006.
In a last-minute meeting, Flightline Director Fred Holtby presented the list on his Power Point presentation to a small group of instructors.
The list includes a number of items including a gas can, spare tire and tire iron, "just in case," says Holtby.
The recent changes come after a solo cross-country from Needles, Calif. was cut short when student pilot John Riggs noticed a flat tire while airborne.
"I landed on Interstate 40 and checked out the tire and sure enough, it was flat. I waved down a DPS officer who said he would take me into town for a new tire but upon arriving at the local convenience store, I found out they were out of my aircraft's size."
The trouble for Riggs did not stop there. He went on to say that when he and the DPS officer returned to his aircraft, he noticed the fuel tank lids were open.
"I got on the wing and there was a hose lying next to the lid. Someone siphoned all of my fuel from both tanks."
Flightline officials say this type of incident is extremely rare.
"In the 11 years I have been a Flightline supervisor, I have never heard of such a stroke of bad luck," said Don Huerrera.
An Embry-Riddle shuttle was dispatched to the aircraft with gas and a spare tire. Utilizing the van's tire jack and tire iron, crews managed to change the tire in record time and the student was back en route to Prescott, Holtby said.
"A true pilot will prepare for the worst possibility through training and preparation."
In a last-minute meeting, Flightline Director Fred Holtby presented the list on his Power Point presentation to a small group of instructors.
The list includes a number of items including a gas can, spare tire and tire iron, "just in case," says Holtby.
The recent changes come after a solo cross-country from Needles, Calif. was cut short when student pilot John Riggs noticed a flat tire while airborne.
"I landed on Interstate 40 and checked out the tire and sure enough, it was flat. I waved down a DPS officer who said he would take me into town for a new tire but upon arriving at the local convenience store, I found out they were out of my aircraft's size."
The trouble for Riggs did not stop there. He went on to say that when he and the DPS officer returned to his aircraft, he noticed the fuel tank lids were open.
"I got on the wing and there was a hose lying next to the lid. Someone siphoned all of my fuel from both tanks."
Flightline officials say this type of incident is extremely rare.
"In the 11 years I have been a Flightline supervisor, I have never heard of such a stroke of bad luck," said Don Huerrera.
An Embry-Riddle shuttle was dispatched to the aircraft with gas and a spare tire. Utilizing the van's tire jack and tire iron, crews managed to change the tire in record time and the student was back en route to Prescott, Holtby said.
"A true pilot will prepare for the worst possibility through training and preparation."
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